Coke oven battery



J1uly'29, 1958 J. VAN AcKl-:REN

COKE OVEN BATTERY 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1954 July 29, 1958 A J, VAN ACKEREN v 2,845,385

COKE OVEN BATTERY Filed April 20, 1954 9 Sheets-SheetR gil/(f:

INVEN JOSEPH vA/vAg/)fenl BY v Ju1y29, 195s J. VAN ACKEREN 2,845,385

COKE OVEN BATTERY a t J INVENTOR. l', 4. OSEPH vANAc/ERE BY l E HTT'OE 77' J. VAN ACKEREN COKE OVEN BATTERY July 29, 1958 Filed April 2o. 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN T Jose/DH VAN AcAqzf/ TL i.-

July 29, 1958 J. vAN ACKEREN com ovEN BATTERY QSheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 20, 1954 July 29, 1958 J. VAN ACKEREN v v 2,845,385

com OVEN BATTERY Filed April zo. 1954 y 9 sheets-sheet e o r v INVENTOR.

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6 Tros/JL Y July 29, 1958 J. VAN AcKERl-:N

COKE OVEN BATTERY Filed April 2o. 1954 July 29, 1958 -J. VAN ACKEREN 2,845,335

COKE OVEN BATTERY Filed April 20. 1954 I 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 m mw? 1N VEN TOR.

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Joss PH VAN ACA/5 125A/ 6h94 has United States Patent O COKE OVEN BATTERY Joseph Van Ackeren, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1954, Serial No. 424,334

Claims. (Cl. 202-141) The present .invention relates to ra coke oven battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heating system for a coke oven battery, and a mode of constructing the same especially suitable for underjet operation with separate and individual regulation of both inllow and outflow from an accessible basement passageway beneath the battery.

It is the desire in the coke loven industry to provide a coke oven battery with a heating system free of counterflow between the heating gases and the waste gases and, at the same time, provide sucient expansion joints in the system to compensate for expansion. It also has been necessary that the regenerator system have sutlicient structural strength to support the Weight of the coking chambers and heating wall structure positioned thereabove and that the entire heating system be readily controllable from the basement during coking operations.

The present invention provides a different and distinct coke oven battery that satisfactorily meets these aforementioned demands and which is eflcient in its construction, maintenance and operation by incorporation of the following'features in a battery.

One of the features 'of the present invention in coke ovens is to provide a coke -oven battery having in the regenerator part thereof a vent passage in each of the regenerator pillar Walls of the coke oven whereby the oppositely disposed portions of the pillar wall that are apportioned to the regenerator chamber spaces on opposite sides of the pillar wall are individually expandable separately of each other in a direction longitudinally yof the battery, thereby pnoviding a form of construction permitting the division of the regenerators into a series of cells by the use of solid cross divisional walls in each regenerator chamber lon opposite sides of the pillar Wall and eliminating the expansion joints heretofore necessary between the pillar walls and the cross divisional Walls. l

4 Another feature of the present coke oven battery invention is to provide a vent passage as aforesaid in each of the regenerator pillar walls of such battery with a controllable atmospheric air source whereby the pressure in the passages can be regulated to prevent leakages between regenerator chambers positioned on opposite sides of the pillar walls containing the vent passages.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a constant vent of these passages in each of the regenerator pillar walls under the natural draft of the coke ovens, each of the vent passages being for this purpose connected to the combustion iiue system in the heating walls of the battery above the regenerator system to insure a constant draft always in the same direction in each of the passages regardless of the reversal in direction lof llow of heating gases in the battery of regenerator chambers positioned on either side of the pillar walls containing the vent passages.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a coke oven battery and more particularly one 2,845,385 Patented July 29, 1958 ICC vented as aforesaid with a compartmentalized cross regenerator system which permits all the compartments in each regenerator area between each two adjacent pillar walls to be operable for air and lean gas, alternatively, with upow operation in all the compartments along one side of all alternate pillar walls while all compartments in the adjacent regenerator areas along the opposite side of those Walls are serving as waste gas compartments for downilow operations.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a coke oven with a regenerator system as aforesaid that prevents leakage `of lean gas or rich gas into the downflow regenerators by maintaining substantially zero pressure difference between said vent passages in each of the regenerator pillar walls and the adjacent lean gas regenerators and lich gas risers.

Still another feature of the present coke oven battery invention is to pnovide in it a regenerator system having a number ot solidly connected cross divisional walls in each regenerator to increase the Ioverall structural strength of said system.

Still another feature of the present coke oven battery invention is to provide in it a regenerator system having spaced extensions from adjacent regenerators, with the extensions of one regenerator alternately disposed with those of the adjacent regenerator in staggered expansion joints, the extensions of one regenerator being under alternate ues along a heating wall and the extensions of the adjacent regenerators being under every other ue along each heating wall. Each heating flue is served by separate rich gas risers and separate air and lean gas duct ports are wholly contained in lone of the expansion joint extensions, to prevent the rich gas risers and the air and v'lean gas ports from passing through the expansion joints.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a regenerator system for the battery having means that permits ready regulation of desired rates of flow .in each regenerator compartment through individual pressure regulating means accessible from the oven basement for separately controlling inflow and outow foreach compartment, thus reducing the possibility of leakage.

Still another feature =of the present invention is the provision of the conventional .concrete pad supporting structure for the coke oven vbattery but in the form of one with concrete that is supported from the conventional subadjacent beams and columns through an intermediate base horizontally throughout the pad and interposed between the concrete and the beams and pillars, said base .being constituted and formed by the interconnection of the air and lean gas headers with `each other in `their `finally connected relation relative to the regenerator system of the battery.

Various other features of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosure set forth hereinafter.

More particularly, the present invention provides a coke :oven battery comprising: a plurality of horizontal coking chambers; a plurality of heating walls lfor the chambers and alternating vtherewith side-by-side rin arow; a heating ue system positioned in each of the `heating walls; a plurality of regenerators positioned at a level beneath the level of the bottoms of Lthe coking -chambers and "the heating walls communicating with the heating walls, the regenerators being .cr-osswise regenerators disposed as inow and outow sets; pillar Walls supporting the upper lmasonry and constituting ,partition walls separating the inflow regenerators from the-outdow regenerators; vent expansion joint vpassages each disposed within each of the ,pillar y,partition walls Athroughout the vertical and horizontal extent thereof; inlet means for continuously introducing atmospheric air into the vent passages; and at least one Ventilating outlet duct means for each of the vent passages communicating with the vertical ues of the heating ue system. The present invention also provides individual throttling means for separate control of the tl-ow of uids into and out of the base of each of the regenerator compartments in the regenerator system of a coke oven battery, the throttling means being structurally arranged in the fuel gas and air distribution system of the battery in association with the mat to present a strong readily controllable total underjet type oven accessible from below the mat.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art, that various changes can be made in the arrangement, form, construction and type of the various elements disclosed without departing from the scope lor spirit of this invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate and exemplify the embodiment of the invention in a preferred type of construction.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken crosswise through the centerline of one of the coking chambers of lone hairpin tiue type of battery having crosswise Ventilating ducts connected to crossover passages of hairpin ues.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Figure 2.

Fig. 2a is a view showing the transition from 18 to the entrance of duct 24.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken lengthwise of another embodiment of said hairpin type of coke oven battery also having the crosswise Ventilating ducts 18, 24, connected to the crossover ducts 10 of the hairpin flues, the battery including the further feature of longitudinal expansion joints 44 between hairpin ues in the heating walls and longitudinal expansion joints 46 in the cross divisional walls all in a direction longitudinally of the battery which divide each of the regenerators into a series Iof regenerator compartments, said expansion joints 46 communicating with the crosswise Ventilating ducts 18.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken crosswise of the battery of Figure 4 along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and Figure 4.

Fig. 6b is a section on line 6b-6b of Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken lengthwise of still another embodiment of said hairpin type of battery wherein is incorporated the feature of having air and lean gas headers which are separately provided beneath the sole ues of each of the regenerator compartments.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken crosswise of the battery of Figure 7 along the line 8 8.

Figure 9 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken crosswise of the battery along the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the regenerator of a battery similar to that disclosed in Figures 7-9 with the air and lean gas headers finally incorporated as the intermediate base forming a support for 4the oven pad to form an interposed part of the battery supporting structure between the concrete of the mat or pad and the beams or columns.

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view of an individual throttling means like that disclosed in Figure 7, further disclosing the incorporation of a means for measuring the pressure at the base of the regenerator compartments.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of a throttling means without the measuring means.

Referring to Figures 1-3 of the drawings, the coke oven battery structure illustrated comprises an oven pad or base 2 which extends for the full length and width of, and supports the, battery brick work or upper masonry mass. Positioned in the upper portion of the brick work and extending transversely thereof is a plurality of horizontal coking chambers 4 having the heating walls 6 alternating in position therewith in side-by-side relation.

A heating ue system is included in each of the heating walls adjacent the coking chambers 4. This heating tiue system comprises a plurality of vertical type hairpin flucs S, the limbs of each flue being connected by an upper crossover passage 10. As is well known in the art, access ues 12 extend from the top of the battery to each `of the hairpin ilues 8. Recirculation ports 11 for recirculating a portion of the waste gases of combustion connect the lower extremities of the limbs of each hairpin ue.

Extending crosswise of the battery beneath each of the coking chambers 4 are the crosswise regenerators 14, adjacent crosswise regenerators being separated by the regenerator pillar walls 16 which also constitute regenerator partition walls. Each of these regenerator partition pillar walls is divided by a vent space or passage 18. This passage extends crosswise of the battery throughout the length of the pillar walls 16 and, in effect, divides each of the regenerator pillar walls from the bottom of the corbel down to the top of the concrete mat 2, into two separate regenerator partition walls each one individualized to the regenerator chamber contiguous thereto, the passages being of suicient width so as not to close completely during the heating operations of the oven and thereby also constituting expansion joints.

Air inlets 20 positioned below the pad 2 of the oven are connected to the vent passages 18 through air ducts 22 which extend through the oven pad. Communicating with each of the vent passages 18 at the upper portion thereof are a plurality of Ventilating ducts 24. These ducts each extend from the top of the passages 18 through the corbel of pillar walls 16 and the limb division walls 26 of one of the hairpin ues 8, to the crossover passages 10 of the flues as shown in Fig. 2a. It is to be noted, that four such ducts 24 are provided in each heating wall in the present embodiment of the invention and it is to be understood that any other number of ducts which can adequately maintain a constant draft on the vent passages regardless of the reversal in direction of ow of the heating gases through the hairpin flues can be provided. Regulation of the quantity of air drawn through the vent passages is achieved by throttling the air inlets 20. By regulating the air inlets to and outlets from the vent passages 18 the pressure in the vent passages can be maintained substantially equal to that in the regenerators, or rich gas risers alongside the vent passages during their operation as upflow regenerators, and rich gas risers if the oven is operating on rich gas, thus eliminating all tendency for leakage of lean or rich heating gas into the waste gases in the regenerator system, hereinafter described.

Each of the regenerators 14 is divided into a crosswise series of compartments 28 by the cross divisional walls 30, which extend in a direction lengthwise of the battery from one pillar wall to the next pillar wall 16. With this construction, no expansion joints are necessary between the pillar walls 16 and the cross divisional walls 30, since the expansion in a direction longitudinally of the battery is taken up between the two sections of the pillar walls formed by the vent passages 18. The walls 30 further serve as additional supporting structure for the upper portions of the battery. Each of the compartments 28 intermediate the end compartments of the regenerators has suticient capacity to meet the requirements for two of the heating ues of two heating walls which it serves on opposite sides of the coking chamber above the regenerator, the compartments at each end of the regenerator corresponding to only one heating flue in s each of the same two heating walls connected thereto. |If'he compartments are connected to the hairpin flue limbs by the regenerator ducts 31.

Positioned below each of the regenerators 14 and extending crosswise of the battery are a pair of sole flues 32. A plurality of sole flue ducts sets 34 connect one sole flue of each of the sole flue pairs with every alternate compartment in each regenerator and the other sole ue 34 of each of the sole flue pairs with the other compartments therebetween in each regenerator. Both sole ues of each sole flue pair are connected to waste heat flues (not shown) when the regenerator with which the pair is associated is on downow operation and one of the sole ues is connected to a source of air and the other to a source of lean gas when the regenerator with which the pair is associated is on upflow operation.

One limb of each hairpin flue is connected by ducts 31 with two compartments of an alternate regenerator on one side of a pillar wall below the hairpin flues whereas the other limb of each hairpin flue is connected by their ducts 31 with two compartments of an intermediate regenerator on the opposite side of the pillar wall below the hairpin flues.

Provided in each of the regenerator pillar walls 16 within the separate regenerator partition walls on either side of the vent passages 18 are a plurality of rich gas risers 36. basement of the oven through the concrete oven pad 2, a regenerator pillar wall 16, to the bottom of one of the limbs of a hairpin flue. The gas risers on one side of the vent passage 18 communicates with the set of limbs fed by the regenerator on that side of the vent passage and the gas risers on the other side of the same vent passage 18 communicates with the limbs fed by the regenerator on the other side of the vent passage. The set of gas risers in each of the regenerator walls are fed by a set of rich gas headers 38 positioned below the oven pad in the oven basement, with the gas risers of a set and the headers of a set operating in on and o relation as is well known in the art as do the alternate regenerators 14 and intermediate regenerators 14.

In order to take care of expansion that occurs in the corbel oven brick work between the top of the regenerator pillar walls 16 and the lower extremities of the heating walls 6, there is provided a plurality of expansion joints 4G. As can be seen from the solid and broken lines in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, these expansion joints 40 are positioned in staggered relation crosswise of the battery below adjacent hairpin flue limbs so that ducts 31 and the gas risers 36 which are connected with the same limbs of the hairpin ues do not pass through the expansion joints.

Since the vent passages 18 are maintained at a constant draft substantially equal to the draft in the lea-n gas compartments of the regenerators when they are on for iniiow of lean gas, by regulating the flow of air into the air inlets 20, any possible leakage into the next crosswise row of compartments operable as oif waste gas regenerators will consist of air from the vent passages 18. It is to be further noted that this situation will apply when any possible leakage exists with the battery on rich gas operation, since the pressure in the vent passages 18 will then be maintained at the same pressure as that in the rich gas risers 36. Finally, it is to be noted that,although richgas risers are disclosed in the present embodiment of the invention other types of rich gas introducing means can also be used. For example, the gas gun types can be used.

Referring to Figures 4 6 of the drawings, a battery similar to that disclosed in Figures 1-3 is shown, including the vent passages and Ventilating ducts connected to the crossover passages of the hairpin ilues. The same referen ce numerals are used to refer to like elements that have been disclosed in Figures l-3. It is to be noted however, that, this battery further includes upper expansion Each of these gas risers extends from the joints 44 extending in a direction lengthwise of the battery between each of the hairpin ues 8 (Figures 5). Since these upper expansion joints 44 extend downwardly to the tops of the regenerator compartments and the staggered joints 40, they do not intersect the regenerator ducts 31 or the rich gas risers 36, and the gas risers 36 are positioned in a slightly different manner along each side of the vent passages 18, being offset from partitions 30 so as not to pass through the below described expansion joints 46 in the walls 30 containing these expansion joints. As can be seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, the expansion joints 40 are in staggered relation, like those disclosed in Figures 1-3 so that the fuel gas risers and the regenerator air and gas ducts do not pass through the expansion joints 40.

It is to be further noted that in the cross divisional walls 30, between each of the regenerator compartments 28 there is provided an expansion joint 46 each of which runs from joint 18 in one pillar wall 16 to the joint 18 in the next pillar wall 16, and from the tops of the sole flue channels 32 to the top of the joints 18. The expansion joints 40, 44 and 46 permit construction of the heating walls and the regenerator sections as a series of independent blocks which are free to expand individually from pusher side to coke side as well as longitudinally of the oven battery, the expansion joints 46 closing however during heating operations whereas the joints 18 remain open. j

The operation of the battery of Figures 4-6 is similar to that disclosed in Figures 1-3. However, the additional expansion joints 44 provided between the hairpin ilues and 46 in the cross divisional walls 30 of the regenerators 28 further serve to increase the operating eciency of the battery and to extend the coke oven battery life.

Referring to Figures 7-9, a coke oven battery similar to the battery disclosed in Figures 1-3 is shown, the same reference numerals being used to designate elements similar to those disclosed in the previously disclosed battery'. In this battery, however, a pair of air and lean gas headers 48 are positioned beneath each pair of sole flues 32 and connected to the regenerator above independentlyI of the sole flues compartments. These pairs of air land gas headers 48 are individually connected directly to alternate compartments of each regenerator by means of risers branch pipes 50, bypass ducts 51 in such a manner that each air header is connected independently of the sole flues to every other compartment in each regenerator and each gas header is connected to the other adjacent compartments therebetween. 'Positioned in each of the riser pipes 50, for these bypass ducts 51 is a throttle S2 which is readily accessible from the basement of the coke oven battery through the riser branch pipes. Each of the regenerator compartments 28 of a regenerator 14 is further provided with a waste gas duct S1 like the bypass ducts 51. The bypass ducts 51 of the alternate compartments connect with one of the solev ilue's of the sole flue pair positioned under the regenerators 14 and the ducts 51' of the intermediate compartments connect their compartments with the other sole flue of a pair each of the headers S8 of a pair also has riser branch pipes S0 like the branch pipes 50 which lead to the individual waste gas ducts 51 of every other compartment that their headers 58 do not connect with through their gas risers S0 and bypass ducts 51. Individual throttles 56 (Figure 7) readily accessible through the risers S0 from the basement of the coke oven battery are also provided in each of these waste gas ducts 51' in the region of their connection with the sole flues.

It is to be noted that each of the throttling devices 52 and 56 can be made tubular in shape, theV tube diameter controlling the regulation while also allowing a pressure impulse line to be inserted through the tubular throttling` member as shown in Fig. 1l to measure the pressures at the base of` each regenerator compartment. However, anyA other type of conventional throttling member may be,

used, such as, for example, a valve, orifice, nozzle, venturi throat, or other well-known device for regulating iluid ow or pressure.

Such an impulse line is disclosed in Figure 1l of the drawings, in connection with the throttling member 52 which can be made of a ceramic tube, and which has attached thereto a bushing 55 threaded at 53 on the outside for attachment to a bushing 52' welded to the bottom end of riser pipe 50, and threaded on the inside to receive a second bushing 55 attached to a pressure impulse line 59 by means of a bushing 55 welded to the pressure line. The bushing 52 can be of stainless steel or other suitable metallic material. The pressure impulse line 59 attached to the bushing 55 extends through the tube 52 to a desired point in the riser 50 and duct 5l, a plurality of holes 60 being provided in the top portion of the line 59. This impulse line can be made of exible metallic tubing of such length that it can extend into the base of the regenerator compartment above the sole llues. In general, it is only necessary that the line 59 extend far enough to be above the zone of turbulence caused by the tubular throttling member 52. With an arrangement of this type, it is a simple operation to measure the pressure at the base of each regenerator compartment and to adjust the throttling tube to provide uniform pressure in each compartment.

The throttle members 56 are similar to the members 52 except that the bushings 52 are seated in a metal plate 56 in a recess in the upper part of the mat 2. The recess forms a communicable duct between the sole ues 32 and the ducts 51. The throttling member 56, when there used, is an imperforate one to shut olf the flow of air or gas to the duct 51' from the headers 48 at all times. The throttle members 52, 56 are interchangeable with others of different sizes for varying the rates of ilow. For measuring pressures in the ducts 5l', the members 56 are replaced by ones like those shown in Fig. ll, which prevent ow from the headers 48 to the compartments while allowing pressure ow through the impulse lines 59.

The operation of the battery disclosed in Figures 7-9 is substantially similar to that disclosed in Figures 1-3. However, because of the ducts 51, 51 and individual throttles 52, 56 provided therein, it is possible to separately control the llow of air and lean gas individually into and through each of the individual regenerator compartments therefor as well as individually control the outflow of waste gas through and out of the compartments. Previously disclosed designs for total underjet batteries have provided for easily controlled flow of air and lean gas to individual regenerator compartments. However, on such previous batteries any attempt to force additional lean gas or air through one or more regenerator compartments to improve the heating in the corresponding heating flues, would result in increased pressure (or reduced draft) in those regenerator compartments and at least a part of the additional lean gas or air would flow back through the sole Hue ports and along the sole ue to be distributed to all the other regenerator compartments. On batteries of this type, where no air or lean gas is introduced through the sole flues, the sole ue acts as an equalizing connection which prevents carrying unequal pressures in the various compartments of the same regenerator, and therefore prevents effective control of lean gas and air to individual groups of flues in the total underjet oven designs previously disclosed. With the invention disclosed herein7 however, it is possible to obtain easy control of the lean gas and air owing to each group of flues. By the use of throttling members 56 in the waste heat connections from the regenerator compartments to the sole ues the draft on each downilow regenerator compartment can be regulated individually so that equal pressures can be obtained in the corresponding upow regenerator compartments when the desired quantities of lean gas and air are flowing through them. If it is desired to increase the quantity of lean gas and air to a certain group of flues the tlow of lean gas and air to the proper upow regenerator compartments is increased by the proper manipulation of the Corresponding throttling members 52. Then, to prevent equalization of the additional lean gas and air to the other compartments of the same regenerator through the waste heat ducts 51 and sole flues, throttling members 56 in the waste gas ducts from the corresponding downflow regenerator compartments are manipulated to in crease the draft in those downtlowcompartments so that the increased quantity of lean gas and air will be drawn through the corresponding upilow regenerator compartment and heating flues.

it will be seen that the provision of easy control of the draft in each regenerator compartment, by means of throttling members 56, together with lean gas and air bypass ducts 50, 51, permits individual control of the flow of lean gas and air to individual groups of ilues, which control was not possible with previously disclosed designs. Within limits, the relative tlow of lean gas and air to a certain group of ues can be increased without adjusting the throttling members 52 in the lean gas and air connections, simply by adjusting the throttling members 56 in the waste gas connections 51 from the proper downflow regenerator compartments to provide a greater draft in the corresponding upfiow compartments. Such a change will not cause flow through the sole ilues of lean gas and air from the other upflow regenerator compartments to the upflow regenerator compartments with the increased draft.

It should be understood that the use of the above-described system of easy control of lean gas and air by means of throttling members in individual ducts for lean gas and air directly into each regenerator compartment and for waste gas out of each regenerator compartment through the sole flues is not limited to oven batteries having the regenerator arrangement and/or the heating ilue arrangement described above. For instance, this control system can be used with the oven batteries as taught by Becker in Patent No. 1,374,546 or any other type oven where the regenerators can be compartmentalized to serve a small group of heating tlues and where neither the lean gas nor air to, nor the waste gas from, one group of flues is mixed with the lean gas or air to, or the waste gas from, another group of fiues before leaving the downflow regenerators, and where easy access may be had to the throttling members 52 and 56 for lean gas and air to, and waste gas from, the individual regenerator compartments.

It is to be further noted that instead of having two rich gas headers 38 as provided in the batteries of Figures 1-6, a single rich gas header 58 may be provided, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10 under each pair of sole nues, wholly embedded in the concrete pad 2 for the purpose of forming a further structural support for the battery and further serving as a concrete reinforcement for the pad as in Fig. 7 when the headers 48 are not embedded. Branch pipes 60 extend from each of these embedded headers 58 to connect the headers with the rich gas risers 36 extending through the regenerator pillar walls 16 in a manner aforedescribed.

Referring further to Figure 10 of the drawings, a coke oven battery similar to that disclosed in Figures 7-9 is shown, the same reference numerals being used to designate like elements. In this battery, however, the riser pipes 50 for the waste heat ducts 51 and the riser pipes 50 for the bypass ducts 51, and the air and lean gas headers 4S, are pre-:fabricated together with steel pedestals 62, and interconnecting structural plates 64, provided with expansion joints 66, and subsequently located in place as a unit on support beam members 68 carried by columns 69, in order to facilitate erection of 9 the coke oven pad 2. By this manner of erection,.the interconnected headers 48 which extend crosswise of the battery serve as further structural supportsfor the battery in the form of an intermediate base horizontally throughout the pad and interposed between the concrete of the pady and the beams 68 and columns 69 subadjacent thereto in the ovenbasement. 70, thereby eliminating the structural beams as in Figs. l to 6 as heretofore necessary for support of the oven pad and eliminating the need for removable forms forv the concrete of the pad, the concrete being poured directly onto the interconnected distiibution system in. its iinally connected relation relative to each other and tothe regenerator system.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a total underjet coke oven;` battery comprising an upper masonry mass mounted on a lower concrete pad supported from below by subadjacent beams on columns to leave an accessible basement space underneath the pad for access in regulation of the battery, with a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and intermediate heating walls constituted of top interconnected vertical combustion ues for reversal in flow in the upper portion of the masonry mass, regenerator pillar walls below and parallel. to said coking chambers and heating walls, and a crosswise row of regenerator compartments between each two pillar walls communicably connected in pairs by regenerator ducts with the ues to form all on compartments on one side and all ott compartments on the opposite side of each ofthe pillar walls; the improvement comprising: void vent expansion joint passages arranged crosswise of4 said battery in each said pillar wall throughout. the height of the regenerator compartments and terminatingy at their upper parts at the base of the tops of the pillarv walls with continuous inlet means thereto beneath the concrete pad for continuous inow of atmospheric air` and outlet duct means from the vent passages extending through a wall between the vertical ues to the top thereof where the reversal intlow takes place; staggered expansion joints running crosswise of the battery in the tops of the pillar walls between the tops of the void vent passages and the lower portions of the heating walls; said regenerator ducts and Ventilating outlet duct means extending through the tops of the pillar walls wholly inside the contines of, and devoid of intersection with, said staggered eX- pansion joints; a pair of sole flues extending under each crosswise row of compartments above the pad; sole due bypass ducts disposed between the top of the pad and the tops of the sole tlues along one side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with intermediate compartments above the sole ues, and waste gas ducts likewise disposed along the same side of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the alternate compartments of each crosswise row with one of the sole ues of the pair below the row for outflow in off operation; sole ilue bypass ducts similarly disposed along the opposite side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with alternate compartments above the sole ues of the rows of com partments, and waste gas ducts similarly disposed along the opposite sides of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the intermediate compartments of the rows with the other of the pairs of sole flues beneath the rows for outow in off operation concurrently with the off operation of the alternate compartments of each row; t'he sole ues beneath each row of compartments being otherwise closed to gas flow relative to each other at well as to all compartments of the rows; an air header below one sole channel of each row of compartments with separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole flue bypass ducts of alternate compartments and to the individual waste gas ducts of the intermediate compartments of a row above, and a lean gas header below the other sole channel of each row of compartments with t separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole ue bypass ducts. of the intermediate corripz'lrtmentsjy and., to the individualpwaste gas ducts of the alternatecompart-` ments ofv the row above; individual oriticed throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said sole ue bypass ducts into position in the line of ow through the bypass ducts from the headers to control the flow from the headers to the compartments, and individual blind throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said waste gas ducts into position in the line of flow through the waste gas ducts from the compartf ments to control the flow from, the compartments to the sole ues while preventing the flow of air or gas theretol from the headers, for regulation of the pressures in the individual compartments individually and separately during inow and outow through the compartments; and the headers and riser conduits for each row of compart-y ments being interconnected with each other for theirfinally connected relation relative tol their compartments of the regenerator system, and interconnected to the headers for the adjacent rows of compartments, to form the mold for the concrete of the oven pad horizontally throughout the same, and the so interconnected headersl being mounted directly on the lirst aforesaid subadjacent beams on columns to constitute the aforesaid intermediate supporting base for the concrete pad.

2. The apparatus of claim l, and which includes vertical combustion ues of the hairpin flue type, rich gas headers in the oven basement land individual rich gas.y

risers extending therefrom through the lower portions` of said regenerator pillar walls on opposite sides of the voidtvent passages and through the tops of the pillar walls wholly inside the contines of, and devoid of intersection t an upper masonry mass mounted on a lower concrete padsupported from below by subadjacent beams on columns to leave an accessible basement space underneath the pad for access in regulation of the battery, with a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and intermediate heating walls constituted of topl interconnected vertical combustion dues for reversal in flow in the upper portion of the masonry mass, regenerator pillar walls below and parallel to said coking chambers and heating walls, and a crosswise row of regenerator compartments b'etween each two pillar wallsV communicably connected in pairs by regenerator ducts with the ilues; the improvement comprising: a pair of sole flues extending under each crosswise row of compartments above the pad; sole ue bypass ducts disposed between the top of the pad and the tops of the sole dues along one side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with intermediate compartments above the sole ues, and waste gas ducts likewise disposed along the same side of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the alternate compartments of each crosswise row with one of the sole flues of the pair below the row for outflow in off operation; sole flue bypass ducts similarly disposed along the opposite side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with alternate compartments above the sole ilues of the rows of compartments, and waste gas ducts similarly disposed along the opposite sides of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the intermediate compartments of the rows with the other of the pairs of sole iiues beneath the rows for outow in off operation concurrently with the oi operation of the alternate compartments of each row; the sole ilues beneath each row of compartments being otherwise closed to gas ow relative to each other as well as to all compartments of the rows; an air header below the sole channel of each row of compartments with separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole flue bypass ducts of alternate compartments and to the individual waste gas ducts of the intermediate compartments of a row above, and a lean gas header below the sole channels of each row of compartments with separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole ue bypass ducts of the intermediate compartments and to the individual waste gas ducts of the alternate compartments of the row above; individual oriiiced throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said sole ilue bypass ducts into position in the line of flow through the bypass ducts from the headers to control the flow from the headers to the compartments, and individual blind throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said waste gas ducts into position in the line of flow through the waste gas ducts from the compartments to control the flow from the compartments to the sole ilues while preventing the flow of air or gas thereto from the headers, for regulation of the pressures in the individual compartments individually and separately during inow and outflow through the compartments; and the headers and riser conduits for each row of compartments being interconnected with each other for their finally connected relation relative to their compartments of the regenerator system, and interconnected to the headers for the adjacent rows of compartments, to form the mold for the concrete of the oven pad horizontally throughout the same, and the so interconnected headers being mounted directly on the first aforesaid subadjacent beams on columns to constitute the aforesaid intermediate supporting base for the concrete pad.

4. In a total underjet coke oven battery comprising an upper masonry mass mounted on a lower concrete pad supported from below by subadjacent beams on columns to leave an accessible basement space underneath the pad for access in regulation of the battery, with a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and intermediate heating walls constituted of top interconnected vertical combustion ues for reversal in flow in the upper portion of the masonry mass, regenerator pillar walls below and parallel to said coking chambers and heating walls, and a crosswise row of regenerator compartments between each two pillar walls communicably connected in pairs by regenerator ducts with the lues; the improvement comprising: a pair of sole ilues extending under each crosswise row of compartments above the pad; sole llue bypass ducts disposed between the top of the pad and the tops of the sole flues along one side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with intermediate compartments above the sole ues, and waste gas ducts likewise disposed along the same side of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the alternate compartments of each crosswise row with one of the sole ues of the pair below the row for outflow in ott operation; sole flue bypass ducts similarly disposed along the opposite side of each row of compartments and individually communicating with alternate compartments above the sole flues of the rows of compartments, and waste gas ducts similarly disposed along the opposite sides of the rows of compartments and individually connecting the intermediate compartments of the rows with the other of the pairs of sole ues beneath the rows for outllow in o operation concurrently with the off operations of the alternate compartments of each row; the sole ues beneath each row of compartments being otherwise closed to gas ow relative to each other as well as to all compartments of the rows; a header below the sole channel of each row of compartments with separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole llue bypass ducts of alternate compartments and to the individual waste gas ducts of the intermediate compartments of a row above, and a separate header below the sole channels of each row of compartments with separate riser conduits leading to the individual sole flue bypass ducts of the intermediate compartments and to the individual waste gas ducts of the alternate compartments of the row above; individual oriiced throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said sole flue bypass ducts into position in the line of flow through the bypass ducts from the headers to control the ow from the headers to the compartments, and individual blind throttling means insertable through the riser conduits for said waste gas ducts into position in the line of flow through the waste gas ducts from the compartments to control the flow from the compartments to the sole flues while preventing the ow of air or gas thereto from the headers, for regulation of the pressures in the individual compartments individually and separately during inow and outflow through the compartments.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, and which includes pressure measuring means cooperable with said throttling means to measure and maintain the desired pressure in said regenerator portions.

6. In a total underjet coke oven `battery comprising an upper masonry mass mounted on a lower concrete pad supported from below by subadjacent `beams on columns to leave an accessible basement space underneath the pad for access in regulation of the battery, with a series of alternate horizontal coking chambers and intermediate heating walls constituted of vertical combustion ues in the upper portion of the masonry mass, regenerator pillar y" walls below and parallel to said coking chamber and heating walls, and a crosswise row of regenerator compartments between each two pillar walls; the improvement comprising: a pair of headers below each row of compartments with separate riser conduits from one header to alternate compartments and separate riser conduits from the other header to the intermediate compartments of the row above, the headers and riser conduits for each row of compartments being interconnected with each other for their nally connected relation relative to their compartments of the regenerator system, and interconnected to the headers for the adjacent rows of compartments, to form the mold for the concrete of the oven pad horizontally throughout the same, and the so interconnected headers being mounted directly on the rst aforesaid subadjacent beams on columns to constitute the aforesaid intermediate supporting base for the concrete pad.

7. A coke oven battery comprising: a plurality of horizontal coking chambers; a plurality of heating walls for said chambers alternating therewith side-'by-side in -a row; a heating flue system comprising vertical combustion ues in each of said heating walls, said vertical ues having their tops communicably connected with each other by reverse -ow passages for waste gas; two sets of regenerators positioned at a level beneath the level of thc bottoms of said coking chambers and heating walls and communicating with the combustion of said heating llue system, said regenerators being disposed as concurrent iniiow and outtiow sets; partition walls separating inlow regenerators from outflow regenerators; void vent passages disposed within said partition walls; inlet means for continuous inlet of atmospheric air into said void vent passages; and at least one outlet means for each of said void vent passages continuously communicably connecting the void vent passages directly with the reverse ow passages at the tops of the vertical combustion liues of said heating walls.

8. A coke oven battery comprising: a plurality of horizontal coking chambers; a plurality of heating walls therefor alternating therewith side-by-side in a row, vertical combustion ues in each of said heating walls, said vertical flues having their tops communicably connected with each other by reverse ow passages for waste gas, a plurality of regenerators positioned at a level beneath the level of the bottoms of said heating walls and partitioned into crosswise rows of compartments communicating through regenerator ducts with the combustion tlues of the system, said regenerators being disposed as concurrent intlow and outow sets; regenerator pillar walls separating inow rows of regenerator compartments from outflow rows of regenerator compartments and providing the support for the heating walls and coking chambers; void vent expansion joint passages disposed orosswise of the rbattery within said pillar walls; inlet means for introducing air into said void vent passages; at least one ventilating outlet duet means for each of said vent passages communicating directly with said reverse liow passages at the tops of the vertical combustion flues; a plurality of expansion joints running crosswise of the battery, between the -top of the void vent passages and the lower portions of the heating walls, in the region of the top portions of the regenerator pillar walls, said expansion joints being staggered, said void vent passages terminating at their tops at the 'base of the -tops of the pillar walls and said ventilating outlet duct means and said regenerator ducts passing through said tops of the pillar walls and 'being wholly inside the oonnes of, and devoid of intersection with, said staggered expansion joints in the' portions of said pillar wall tops that they pass through.

9. 'Ihe apparatus of claim 8, and which includes means to Iintroduce rich gas comprising rich gas headers lbelow the top of the concrete pad for the battery and individual rich gas risers extending therefrom through said regenerator partition pillar Walls into separate communication with the limbs of said combustion flues, said risers also extending through the tops of the pillar walls wholly inside the contines of, and devoid of intersection with said staggered expansion joints, and said combustion dues comprising hair pin ues.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, and which includes a plunality of expansion joints extending longitudinally of the battery in the partitions between the regenerator compartments, said joints intersecting the void vent passages in the regenerator pillar walls.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I1,660,658 Van Ackeren Feb. 28, 1928 1,961,265 Van Ackeren June 5, 1934 2,003,565 Van Ackeren June 4, 1935 2,019,483 Becker Nov. 5, 1935 2,098,013 Pavitt Nov. 2, 1937 2,132,641 Otto Oct. 11, 1938 2,216,983 Otto Oct. 8, 1940 I2,306,366 Becker Dec. 29, 1942 2,376,718 Otto May 22, 19415 2,470,11I12 Rueckel May 17, 1949 2,507,554 Van Ackeren May 16, 1-950 FOREIGN PATENTS 697,'111'2 Germany Oet. 7, 1940 Belgium Nov. 3, 1950 

1. IN A TOTAL UNDERJET COKE OVEN BATTERY COMPRISING AN UPPER MASONRY MASS MOUNTED ON A LOWER CONCRETE PAD SUPPORTED FROM BELOW BY SUBADJACENT BEAMS ON COLUMNS TO LEAVE AN ACCESSIBLE BASEMENT SPACE UNDERNEATH THE PAD FOR ACCESS IN REGULATION OF THE BATTERY, WITH A SERIES OF ALTERNATE HORIZONTAL COKING CHAMBERS AND INTERMEDIATE HEATING WALLS CONSTITUTED OF TOP INTERCONNECTED VERTICAL COMBUSTION FLUES FOR REVERSAL IN FLOW IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE MASONRY MASS, REGENERATOR PILLAR WALLS BELOW AND PARALLEL TO SAID COKING CHAMBERS AND HEATING WALLS, AND A CROSSWISE ROW OF REGENERATOR COMPARTMENTS BETWEEN EACH TWO PILLAR WALLS COMMUNICABLY CONNECTED IN PAIRS BY REGENERATOR DUCTS WITH THE FLUES TO FORM ALL "ON" COMPARTMENTS ON ONE SIDE AND ALL "OF" COMPARTMENTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF EACH OF THE PILLAR WALLS; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: VOID VENT EXPANSION JOINT PASSAGES ARRANGED CROSSWISE OF SAID BATTERY IN EACH SAID PILLAR WALL THROUGHOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE REGENERATOR COMPARTMENTS AND TERMINATING AT THEIR UPPER PARTS AT THE BASE OF THE TOPS OF THE PILLAR WALLS WITH CONTINUOUS INLET MEANS THERETO BENEATH THE CONCRETE PAD FOR CONTINUOUS INFLOW OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR AND OUTLET DUCT MEANS FROM THE VENT PASSAGES EXTENDING THROUGH A WALL BETWEEN THE VERTICAL FLUES TO THE TOP THEREOF WHERE THE REVERSAL INFLOW TAKES PLACE; STAGGERED EXPANSION JOINTS RUNNING CROSSWISE OF THE BATTERY IN THE TOPS OF THE PILLAR WALLS BETWEEN THE TOPS OF THE VOID VENT PASSAGES AND THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE HEATING WALLS; SAID REGENERATOR DUCTS AND VENTILATING OUTLET DUCT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE TOPS OF THE PILLAR WALLS WHOLLY INSIDE THE CONFINES OF, AND DEVOID OF INTERSECTION WITH, SAID STAGGERED EX- 